Mail catcher and receiver.



No. 779,722. PATENTED JAN. 10I 1905. W; T. LONG & P. H. GORTON. MAIL GATGHBR AND RECEIVER. APPLICATION FILED MAR 29 1904 ZSHEETS-SHEET l.

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No. 779,722. PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. W. T. LONG & F. H. GORTON. MAIL GATOHER AND RECEIVER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1904.

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UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. LONG AND FRANK H. GORTON, OF GLENIVOOD, IOWA.

MAlL CATCHER AND RECEIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,722, dated January 10, 1905.

Application filed-March 29, 1904. Serial No. 200,624.

To all whom it may concern:

= enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in mail catchers and receivers.

The aim of our invention is to provide a simple device so constructed that the same may be used to simultaneously deliver and receive a mail-pouch; and our invention comprises certain novel combinations, as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown in Figure 1 an elevation of our mail catcher and receiver. Fig. 2 discloses a broken portion of a car equipped with the receiving apparatus. Fig. 3 shows a broken top view, partly in section, of the receivingmechanism in the car. Fig. 4 discloses a top view of our mail catcher and receiver. Fig. 5 discloses a broken elevation of the receiving and delivering mechanism as arranged in the car, while Fig. 6 discloses the swivel-collar as used in our invention.

The aim of our invention is to provide a device arranged so that a mail-pouch may be received and delivered, one pouch being deposited in the stationary receiving-standard, the other pouch being deposited in the movingreceiving-receptacle.

In carrying out the aim of our invention we provide a suitable tubular standard 1, as shown in Fig. 1, provided below with the door 2, supported by means of the hinges 4 and closed by means of the catch 3. To the upper end of this hollow stationaryreceiving-standard is secured a head 12, from which extend the supportinglegs and turning upon this head 12, which head is provided with the upwardly-extending flange A, is the plate A, as shown in Fig. 3, the head 12 being provided with incisions, as is shown at a, while the plate A is provided with the ear 13 andthedrop-handle 14, which handle is adapted to work in the incisions a. Extending from this head-plateA is an elbow 5, communicating with the hollow standard 1, and this elbow 5, as disclosed in Fig. 6, and provided witha rim 6, engaged by the grooved collar 7 secured to the scoop 8, may be turned upon the end of the elbow 5. For the sake of strength we secure the scoop 8. secured by means of the pins 7, as shown in Fig. 1, by means of the brace-rod 8'. Extending upward from the elbow 5 is a supporting-hub 9, provided with suitable incisions a, and working upon this hub and being held by means of the pin 10 is the swinging arm B, which arm is provided with the ear (4, to which is secured the drop-handle 6, adapted to work in its incisions a, so that the swinging arm B may be held at a suitable angle in supporting a mailpouch to be delivered to a passing train. The end of the swinging arm B is forked, as is shown at c, by means of the pins 0 pivotally holds the supporting-ears 16, to which the mail-pouch is secured by means of its loops, the loops being retained by means of the springs 17 under which they are forced. As far as described this would be the mechanism, they would be placed at the station to hold the pouch to be delivered and receive the pouch deposited by the passing train, the receiving-scoop 8 to be set so. as to be at a proper angle so that the mail-pouch, as V in Fig. 3, would encounter the scoop 8 to be deposited within the receiving-standard 1, the mailbag to be delivered, and shown at W in Fig. 4 to be held outward and be adjusted by means of its drop-handle 6.

Within the car in connection with which we would use our mail-pouch catcher and receiver would be secured a hollow receiving-receptacle D, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the upper end of which is elbowed and held by the bracket 18, while within this receiving receptacle is a spring-supported bottom 32, held up by means of the spring 34 to lessen the shock of the mail-pouch deposited within the same. Secured within the'door-opening adjacent this receiving-receptacle B is the scoop 27, which is pivotally secured to the supporting-ears 25, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, so that the scoop may be swung outward, and this scoop is further provided with the ear 24:, to which by means of the pin 23 is secured the bar 21 and this bar again by means of the pin a being secured to the adjusting-bar 20, which works within the stop-sleeve 19 to limit the outward movement of the scoop 27. Held upon the pins 26 are the frame-bars 28, forming a swinging frame strengthened by means of the brace e, and the swinging frame at its end is provided with the supporting-ears 30, held by the pivot-pins 29, the spring 31 being used to secure the loop upon the mail-pouch.

In Figs. 3 and 4 we have shown the pouches V and about to be delivered, one into the standard and the last-mentioned into the receiving-receptacle D and the car 0:, within the door 2 of which is secured the scoop 27, the arrow indicating the direction the car is moving in. Now as the moving mail-pouch within the swinging frame 28 engages the scoop 8 it is freed from its supporting-ears and shot down the standard, the force of the pouch being broken first by means of the elbow 5 and finally by means of the air-cushion formed within the hollow standard 1,While the pouch engaged by the moving scoop 27 would be shot into the receptacle 1) and received upon the spring-bottom 32.

Our apparatus is so constructed that it may be placed between the rails and be swung from side to side to receive mail and deposit mail from cars going in opposite directions or upon the same track or adjacent tracks, the swinging arm A, as well as the scoop 8, being placed lengthwise between the rails when the device is not in operation.

These mail-pouch catchers and receivers are made of various sizes and of any suitable material, and,

Having thus described our said invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a hollow standard, provided above with an elbow, of a swivellysupported scoop secured to the end of said hollow standard, means to rotate said elbow, ahub extending from said elbow, a swinging arm working upon said hub, means to adjustably secure said swinging arm, and pivotally-held receiving-ears at the end of said arms are arranged as set forth.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow receiving-receptacle adapted to be placed within a car, of a scoopadjustably secured to the car adjacent said hollow receptacle, and a swinging frame below said scoop said swinging frame being provided with supporting-ears as set forth.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. LONG. FRANK H. GORTON. Witnesses:

M. MILLER, J. T. MURPHY. 

